Expanding Surface Rivers on Greenland Ice Sheet Accelerate Melting

Nature Climate Change, 16 June 2022

Runoff areas for rivers on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet expanded by nearly a third between 1985 and 2020. Usually, at high ice sheet elevations, melting surface snow filters down and refreezes, thereby not contributing to ice sheet shrinking. In this study, authors found that excess melt has created thick, impenetrable ice slabs on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet, leading to increased surface run off. Increased warming will likely increase the size of runoff areas and therefore the volume of meltwater drained into the sea from high ice sheet elevations.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01371-z

Pam Pearson

Recent Posts

Record Low Snow in Hindu Kush Himalaya Threatens Water Supply

ICIMOD, April 24, 2026 2026 marks the fourth consecutive year of below-average snow conditions in…

2 weeks ago

Global Warming Weakens AMOC While Temporarily Strengthening Nordic Overturning Circulation

Ocean Science, 20 Apr 2026 Global warming and increased freshwater input from melting ice are…

2 weeks ago

Lack of Monitoring for Glacier Biodiversity: A Critical Gap in EU Policy

Science, 23 Apr 2026 Specially-adapted species living in glacier regions face rapid snowpack and ice…

2 weeks ago

Tides and Ocean Layering Shape Ice Shelf Melt, Impacting Antarctic Sea-Level Rise Projections

Science Advances, 24 Apr 2026 Observations from the grounding zone beneath the Ross Ice Shelf…

2 weeks ago

COP30 Video of the Week: Forecast-Based Financing and Adaptation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

The Hindu Kush Himalaya faces rising climate extremes that threaten mountain communities, demanding a shift…

2 weeks ago

Without Emissions Cuts, A Real Risk of Extreme Sea-level Rise by 2100

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 23 April 2026 Observations suggest we are currently tracking…

4 weeks ago